Cyclone brewing in Coral Sea
0:19

There is a good chance a cyclone will develop in Queensland's Coral Sea tomorrow.

Sky News

28 Jan 2014

News

UPDATE: 6pm A CYCLONE watch has been declared for Port Douglas to Proserpine.

This afternoon the weather bureau released details that the tropical low which formed in the Coral Sea was estimated to 760km east-northeast of Cairns and 790km northeast of Townsville moving in a west-southwest direction at 9km/h to the coast.

The low may develop into a tropical cyclone during Thursday. It is expected to move and may develop further as it approaches the Queensland coast.

Gales may develop between Port Douglas and Proserpine during Wednesday afternoon and continue into Thursday.

Coral Sea weather formation

The news comes amid severe weather warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology for the Northern Tropical Coast and Tablelands.

The warning, issued just after 10.30am, extended to Herbert and Lower Burdekin and parts of the Central Coast and Whitsundays Forecast Districts.

At 9am, a tropical low was situated in the northern Coral Sea, approximately 870km east-northeast of Cairns, and moving southwest at around 10km per hour.

The tropical low is expected to move in a general westwards direction over the next couple of days and may develop further as it approaches the Queensland east coast.

The potential for the system to develop into a tropical cyclone will be assessed during today and Tropical Cyclone Advices will be issued if required.

A young boy enjoys the rain in Cairns. Pic. Varghese Regi

Heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding, and damaging winds, with peak gusts in excess of 90km/h, are expected to develop about coastal and adjacent inland areas between Port Douglas and the area north of Mackay during Wednesday afternoon.

The 24-hour rainfall totals could be in excess of 200mm.

Water levels on the high tide are also likely to exceed the highest tide of the year about coastal areas between Port Douglas and the areas north of Mackay over the next couple of days.

Locations which may be affected include Hamilton Island, Proserpine, Bowen, Townsville, Cairns, Port Douglas and Mareeba.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services advises that people should take precautions to ensure your keep yourself and items safe.

Business operators are being urged to update their disaster plans for any cyclones or storms striking this season.

THEIR days on the court may be over but former Townsville Fire players Aneka Davis, Cherie Gallagher and Julia Duroux will be cheering from the sideline when the team takes on Bendigo in the grand final.